Alabama Ignite is a gateway website and what I hope will become a movement to spark innovation and entrepreneurship in Alabama.
The mission of Alabama Ignite is to help aspiring and established entrepreneurs—like you— find the inspiration, courage and resources to start and grow an innovative 21st century business.
The Ignite Alabama podcast and the resources that will be available on this website are part of a larger business venture that founder and producer, Sheree Martin, is rolling out in phases under the Shinecast® brand.
Some of the resources will be free to everyone and some will be available for purchase or through a membership program.
Ignite Alabama Podcast
The Ignite Alabama podcast is phase one of the Alabama Ignite movement.
The Ignite Alabama podcast is an interview style on-demand audio show that features conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders who are growing businesses for the 21st century economy.
As the show continues to grow, the Ignite Alabama podcast will also feature conversations with innovative thinkers and leaders who understand creative problem-solving and can help Alabamians better understand how to seize the moment and use the new economy as a springboard to personal fulfillment and greater economic wealth.
I also plan to interview researchers who are working on the cutting edge of technology to provide a glimpse at what’s here, almost here and what’s coming soon.
For readers and anyone who wants to grow an archive of resources without taking notes, PDF transcripts of most of the interviews will be available for purchase at a nominal price (starting at less than $2).
You can subscribe to the Ignite Alabama podcast on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and any Android podcast application. You can, of course, also stream the show from this website or listen via SoundCloud.
Alabama Ignite Newsletters
I’ll be offering both a free and premium (paid subscription) newsletter
Free Email Newsletter
The free weekly version will provide a weekly summary of who’s on the podcast and what’s new on the Alabama Ignite website, along with a few links to top Alabama business news stories and events that established, new and aspiring entrepreneurs should find helpful.
The free newsletter will also contain quick tips from business advisers and professionals and occasionally spotlight business accelerators and programs offered by various economic development training initiatives across the state of Alabama and in the broader southeastern region.
Premium (Paid) Newsletter
The premium email newsletter will be available on a paid subscription basis and will include highly curated in-depth news coverage and original content that is designed to provide context about emerging business and technology trends.
The premium Alabama Ignite newsletter is designed mainly for business advisers (accountants, lawyers), investors, other business professionals (like bankers), and individuals who are looking to find business ideas emerging from the convergence of technology across disciplines.
The premium, curated newsletter is not intended to supplant daily, weekly or monthly business news sources like the Birmingham Business Journal, al.com, your local newspaper or Business Alabama magazine.
The premium newsletter will provide context and depth to the daily and weekly current events and news reporting.
Webinars
I plan to offer a series of webinars with Alabama business advisers and global professionals that will be designed help to answer your questions about topics like these:
- How do I select an accountant?
- Howw can I be more creative?
- What is this xyz technology and how can I harness it for my business idea?
- How do I use social media and internet technology to market my product or service?
Some of these webinars will be free and some will require payment for registration.
Membership Portal
I’ll be offering courses, ebooks and other resources designed to fill gaps in what’s available currently for Alabama entrepreneurs. Most of these will be produced by me under the Shinecast® brand and distributed through a separate membership portal that I’ll be sharing more about very soon.
Why Alabama Ignite?
Alabama is not known as a hot-bed of entrepreneurship, even though our people are hardworking and resourceful (two attributes of successful entrepreneurs).
The reality is that Alabama does have innovative entrepreneurs, innovative companies that evolve and reflect the changing world, and we have universities that produce cutting-edge research.
What we don't have enough of, I believe, is inspiration, courage and the belief that business success is possible if the business is built on innovation and solving a problem.
The recent Kaufmann Foundation ranked Alabama 49th in its index of entrepreneurial activity. At the time the report came out, I was already in the midst of developing a framework for much of what will be available through Alabama Ignite but that dismal ranking really hit home with how much work we have to do here.
I'm an Alabama native. My roots in this state go back centuries. Two of my great grandfathers were entrepreneurs and I have other small business experience in my personal background, in addition to more than a decade as an Alabama business lawyer.
I want Alabama to shine. I believe that Alabama has more to offer in terms of quality of life, natural resources and human potential than anywhere else in the world.
I believe that Alabamians need hope and inspiration that business success is possible and that innovative ideas coupled with technology can bring a business vision to fruition.
My strengths are in understanding fast, connecting dots and communicating and I'm passionate about helping people live their best lives, and I believe that we need innovative businesses with a mission and a purpose that extends beyond simply “making a profit” to solving problems and adding value to the world.
